Method of lettering



July 1939. E. w. KRAUTER 2,165,861

METHOD OF LETTERING Filed Oct. 31, 1958 Iii "W aa a, a A w,

n16 .Fa'ufrz W raufr script, with the letters joined, the word are.

Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of lettering, particularly script lettering, to take the place of the hand-lettering method now frequently used in the composition or production of copy for catalogues or other printed matter. This application is a substitute in part for abandoned application Serial No. 131,921, filed June 22, 1934.

For example, in a printed article consisting of letter-press and/or illustrations it is often desirable, in order to get a better or different effect from that producible by printing from type, to

which, while producing the eflect of hand-let-' tering, will be a much cheaper and more expeditious way of accomplishing the desired effect.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 shows three transparencies lettered with the script letter a" in difie'rent' forms, which are illustrative of the means employed for carryingout the method of the invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 show, respectively, transparencies lettered, in different forms, with the small script letters 1' and e.

Fig. 4 shows these transparencies, selected from the transparenciesoi Figs. 1 to 3, and placed in an overlapped arrangement for producing in Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the method of over-lapping the letters or characters in arranging the transparencies; and A Fig. 6 shows a photographic reproductionot the Fig. 4 assembly with the evidences of overlapping of the transparencieseliminated.

For carrying out the process a'font, so to speak, of lettered transparencies is provided which comprises all the letters of the alphabet, naturally, in small and capital letters, in such sizes and with such variations in type character as maybe necessary, including it required other symbols or characters, which may be considered as included in the term letters.

' In Figs. 1 to 6 are illustrated script letters, all

of thesame type character and size, but formed for different positions with respect to the other letters. For example, transparency ill of Fig. 1 bears a character of proper configuration for an initial letter a followed by r. The transparencies H and I2 oi Fig. 1 bear as of differend form suitable for preceding or following other letters.

In .Fig. 2 the transparency l3 bears an r of the proper form to follow an initial a" as carried by transparency l0. Transparencies l4 and [5 of Fig. 2 bear frs for other letter combinations.

In Fig. 3 transparency l6 bears an e suitable for following the r of transparency l3 (Fig. 2) and for a final position in a word. The transparencies l1 and i8 are for displaying the same letters for difierent combinations with other letters. I

It will be understood that only a few examples of the numerous different forms of script letters necessary for reproducing in script for all letter sequences are shown in Figs. 1 to 3. These figures are merely illustrative of the principle upon which the font of transparencies is produced.

Fig. 4illustrates a combinaion of transparen- I cies l0, l3 and I6 which are over-lapped so as to produce in script with the letters properly joined one to the other, the .word are. 7

Fig. 5 clearly shows in dotted lines the method of over-lapping the letters so as to produce a continuous running script. Dotted lines I indicate the end portion of the character -a. on transparency l0 underlying the first portion of the character appearing on transparency l3 and dotted lines l3 indicate the end portion of the character on transparency l3 underlying the first portion of the character on transparency l6.

In carrying out the method of this invention, the entire matter, which is to take the place of the hand-lettered drawing is made up by an assembly of transparencies, in which the units are arranged in proper sequence, and over-lapped so far as may be necessary, in order to give a continuous running script appearance to the desired arrangement of letters and words.

The use of script shown in Figs. 1 to 4, merely illustrates types of lettering which are diillcuit, it not impossible, to produce by ordinary type setting and which, consequently, have heretofore required resort to hand-lettering method.

q The assembly of transparencies of which Fig. 4 is typical, is then photographed, and the lines caused by the over-lapping of the transparencies are eliminated.

The translucency or lines'caused by the overlapping ot the transparencies is preferably elimilonger time .than usual, the indications on the film caused by the over-lapping of the trans- Darencies will be washed therefrom so that the negative will show only the script in white and the background in solid black. The appearance of the black script letters will be unaflected by the over-developing. Of course the print made therefrom will then show the desired script in blacl; on a pure white background as shown in Another method of eliminating the lines 01' division is to over-expose the film when taking the picture.

Also by first slightly over-exposing and then slightly over-developing the undesired indications will be very satisfactorily eliminated.

The photograph thus made may be combined with the letter-press, cuts or other matter used for making up the copy. tograph may be pasted to'adrawing, or to letterpress, or to a drawing or drawings and letterpre", and the whole photographed on the plate from which the printing is to be done.

If desired the printing plate may be made directly by any usual photographic method from the assembly of transparencies.

'It. will be understood that I desire to cover by patent all modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Method of lettering which comprises selecting from a font comprising a plurality of transparencies having script characters opaquely lettered thereon, each character being represented in different forms of the same size for combination with other characters in different positions,

40 the correct transparencies'for forming a desired Ronexample, the phocombination and effect in continuous script, arranging said transparencies in proper sequence with certain transparencies overlapping portions of the characters on other transparencies so far as necessary to bring the chosen characters into 5 correct relative position with the end portions of the characters joining, in appearance, adjacentcharacters to form the desired combination in continuously running script, substantially all of the overlapped character through the overlapping transparencies, and then photographing the said arrangement to produce 'a'print on which will appear the desired script combination on a pure background of contrasting appearance. 15

2. Method of lettering which comprises selecting from a font of transparencies having script characters opaquelylettered thereon, said font including diiierent forms of the same size script characters for joining to other characters in different relative positions some of said characters being provided with connecting end portions adapted to be joined to and form part of other characters, the transparencies bearing the correct form of characters for forming the desired letter- 25 overlapped characters being visible through the overlapping transparencies, and then photographing said arrangement to produce a print on which will appear the desired script combination on a pure background of contrasting color.

EDWIN W. KRAU'I'ER. 40

-CERTIFPICAI'E or CORRECTION.

Patent N 2,1658 61 July ll, 1959.

EDWIN W. KRAU'I'ER,

11', is hereby certified that error appear-sin the printed specification I of the above numbered patent requiring correction as followszv'lfage 2, first column, line 1,1 51 the word "-over-1app ing"-read over-develb'pingg and that the said" Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to trie' record of the case in the Patent office. Signed andsealed this 29oz; clay of'Augus'L A. p. 1959..

(.Seai) Le slie Frazer,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

portions being visible 1 

